The Vatican declared its support for a day of prayer against marriage equality organized by bishops in the French Catholic Church.

Thousands lined up for the antigay prayer on Wednesday, which proclaimed children can only thrive with the benefit of a mother and father. The prayer was a response to president Francois Hollande voicing support for same-sex marriage.

The Vatican says the French bishops were right to take action: "I believe preserving [heterosexual marriage], which is cultural — and for us also religious — is a real challenge that we have to take up in every corner of our planet," Bishop Vincenzo Paglia told Vatican Radio.